Energizing and Equipping Local Churches
in Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World
2006 Fall Leadership Summit
Sponsored by the Central Texas Conference’s Mission Ministries and hosted by First United Methodist Church of Hurst, this event focused on —
- making worship relevant for today’s diverse congregations,
- delving deeper into our own spiritual journeys to effectively share our faith with others at their point of need,
- understanding the why and how to be in mission, and
- helping our children in the development of their prayer lives.
Dr. Marcia McFee, a consultant on worship and the arts who was recently named worship leader for the denomination’s 2008 General Conference in Fort Worth, began the Fall Leadership Summit with a plenary session on creative worship and concluded the day with a participatory worship experience.
“Everything is rhythm,” she said, including worship services. It is up to the worship team to set the rhythms that meet the needs of their diverse congregations.
“Worship is the place where we crystallize and express in symbolic ways our experience of being a part of the sacred, cosmic, rhythmic dance of life,” said McFee. As she beat simple rhythms on a bongo drum, she set the tone for what she describes as four primal “home patterns” that move us and determine our preferred styles of worship:
v If you move through the world at a fast pace with things to do, lists to make, and purpose and goals to meet, McFee calls you THRUSTER. Songs that move you might be Up From the Grave He Arose (refrain) or We Are Marching in the Light of God.
v If you move with reserve, careful in your placement, like for things to be organized and in order, like to find a way to do something and repeat it, McFee calls you SHAPER. Songs that you might prefer would be the steadiness of Glory to God, the Doxology and The Church’s One Foundation.
v If you love to move from “this to that,” are interested in many things, find yourself swaying easily to whatever rhythms present themselves, and are energized by interaction, McFee calls you SWINGER. Songs you enjoy would include
v If you “go with the flow,” moving in easy and fluid move-ments, can simply “be” with others without the need to interact in a direct way, and find energy in meditative environments, McFee calls you HANGER. Songs that move you might include Come and Find the
If worship is the major means by which we experience our spiritual formation, what are today’s worship services forming? For the most part, McFee believes, we are forming passive observers. Too much of the music and rituals are performed by the choir alone and by a few church leaders. Through simple actions she was able to turn around that model to more participative experiences.
For a recitation about being one with another, she had worshippers on the right and left sides of the sanctuary make a quarter turn to the center so that unity statements were made facing each other rather than facing a screen or burying heads in a bulletin. The result: a sense of community and unity. The music she led was participatory in new and unique ways — not sung to a group of passive observers. It’s a moving experience.
“Falling in love is really falling in rhythm,” she said. “A poly-rhythmic Christianity knows that to fall in love with God is to fall in love with the rhythms of creation, of our very bodies ... and the rhythms of liturgy and life!” For more details, visit her website at www.marciamcfee.com.
Sharing Your Faith
Dr. Woody Davis, president and head coach of Total Evangelism Assistance Ministries (TEAM), returned to the Fall Summit experience with a follow up to his How to Share Your Faith program originally presented at the Spring Leadership Summit. Since a large number of the participants in his Fall sessions did not have the benefit of the Spring introductory presentation, he spent some time in review before going more in depth.
With his lively presentation style, clever music, film clips, and practical guidelines, Davis led participants in how to recognize those who may be searching spiritually, engage them in meaningful conversation, prepare themselves to translate the gospel into common, understandable terms and images, and then respond positively to people’s questions about the faith. For more details, visit his website at www.TEAMinistry.com.
For All the Right Reasons: United Methodist Missions
Jennifer Coggins, conference director of humanitarian services, and Rev. Rachel Giessen, director of the conference youth in mission program, led the group of mission-minded leaders in what it means to be a church in mission. They helped leaders to answer such questions as: Who are the people in your neighborhood? Why do we serve? Where do we go and how do we empower congregations to serve God by serving the world? They can be contacted at jennifer@ctcumc.org and rachel@ctcumc.org.
The Greatest Gift: Teaching
Our Children to Pray
Participants in Rev. Leanne Ciampa Hadley’s sessions said the class was “incredible — worth going to again!” Of all the gifts we can give to children, teaching them to connect their souls to God through prayer is among the greatest, she believes. This gift will carry them throughout their lives.
In very comprehensive workshop sessions, Rev. Hadley, president and founder of